vallot



A. VALLOT.

DEVICE FOR MOUNTING HEADLIGHTS 0NTHE BODIES 0F MOTOR CARS.

APPLICATION .FILED SEPT. 22, 1913.

1,408,149,` y Patented Peb. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

/f/ f ,f

A. VALLDT.

DEVICE FOR MOUNTING HEADLIGHTS ON THE BODIES 0F MOTOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22,19l3.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATI-:s

PATENT OFFIC.

ANDR VALLOT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

DEVICE FOR MONTING HEADLIGHTS ON THE BODIES F MOTOR CARS.

Specification of` Letters Patent.

Application inea september 22, 1913. serial No. 791,094.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS 0F THE ACT 0F MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. Il., 1313.)`

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANDR VALLo'r, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Device for Mounting Headlights on the Bodies of Motor Cars, (for which I have ,tiled applications in France, February 20,

1913, Patent No. 455,129, and England, September 27, 1913, Patent No. 21837,) of which the following is a specification.. y

This invention relates to a device for mounting headlights on the bodies of motor cars, said device being adapted besides to serve for mounting any 'other articles and not only on the bodies of cars but on any other objects having an outer contour curved or of double curvature.

This device has for its object not only the possibility of fixing the headlights on points of the body of the car where it is very diilicultto mount them, specially on the curved partsyof the torpedo iframes, but also that to move said headlights in a plurality of directions within sutliciently widelimits after the manner of the eye in its orbit so that, according to requirement, either the driving mechanism can be lighted when the car stops, or a Y sign post upon the road. j

In the accompanying drawings the invention is shownz.- n

Fig. 1 isa horizontal section;

Fig. 2 `is a section on lines A-B of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 anda show another form of construction. Y

The xing apparatus essentially consists of a hollow sphere formingball joint constructed in any appropriate manner. rIn the drawings there is shown this sphere as being composed of two hemispheres a and b obtained by pressing a piece of sheet metal and connected the one with .the other by welding along a `diametral plane. In this sphere the headlight c is mounted and it is connected with the sphere in any appropriate manner. In the form of construction shown by way of example an electric headlight is repre sented, the conducting wires d of which are conducted into the sphere through a handle e fixed upon the sphere at a point which is lopposite the point where the headlight is arbody having a diameter slightly shorter than that of the sphere. The edges of this aperture can be reinforced. for example by means y threaded studs c' screwed into the outer ring g. The spherec, o is inserted from the lower side of the body into the aperture thus cut out and it is covered with a ring/c the diameter of which is slightly shorter than the diameterv of the sphere and which has holes corresponding with the studs e'. Between the ring 7c and the head m of the studs weak springs n are arranged designed to press the ring 7c upon the sphere a*? and consequently to tix this sphere on the car body f.

It is easy to understand that .the headlight thus mounted on the car body can be moved in any direction by acting upon kthe handle e and by making the sphere cturn around lts axis.

Fig. 1 shows the left hand side headlight ofthe car in the normal position, thaty is to say its axis beingdirected according to the road indicated by the arrow, this position isA at the same time the end position of ythe headlight towards the inner side of the car, but it can be directed towards the outside until its axis registers with the arrow shown in dotted lines so that the foot path of the road can belighted, and as at the same time the headlight can be lifted or lowered .it is possible to light either the road or a sign post placed at the side of the road. I

In order to bring the headlight back tothe normal position, the light rays are directed in the Vdirection of the roadthere could besides be provided a marking device which lat the same time serves for fixing the sphere a-b in this position.

Fig. Qshows by way of example a ixing device adapted for this purpose. It consists of a small cavity p made in the hemisphere b and designed to receive a ball o located in a tube g which is arranged radially and carried by the ring 7c. In this tube a spring 7' is arranged which pushes the ball o into the cavity p. The sphere a-b is brought to approximately the normal position and is further moved till the ball o gets into the cavity p. It is evident that any other device could be used for the same purpose.

Figs. 3 and 4 show in vertical section and in elevation a device designed to be placed preferably at the middle of the bonnet in the direction of the axis of the car. Y

According to this form of construction the sphere a, instead of'being clamped' in between two rings arranged on either side of its diametral plane, is secured only by one ring g fixed on the car body f and itis maintained against this ring through'the action of one spring -sfs'urroundi-ng the handle e and'bearing, on the one hand against the milled head t ofthis handle and, on the other hand, against the car body. Withthis object in View. it is, necessary to obturate the aperture made inthe car body f as a passage for the handle e. To obtain this,'a collar u is arranged between the two rings g and L, which is maintained in positionrby the screws fr which tix therings 'g and 'it on the bonnet This collar'has a centrall opening 'which limits the oscillations of the handle e. yBetween the spring s and the collar u a washer y is arranged Which is slightly larger than the openingl at the centre of the collar a, and,

which moves. with the handle' e. The

spring s bears. against this washer which itself' bears .against the collar u. The electric wires. d which supply the current yfor the headlights pass through the handle c as it has been hereinbefore described, said handle Y having been conveniently hollowed'for this effect.Y

Ascan be seen, the difference between the two forms oi construction consists in the following: In the first form of construction the greatest part of the sphere is located under-the bonnet, whilstin the second toi-m of constructionv theV sphere is situated completely outsiderthe bonnet. In the first case the springs push the sphere outward,l in

thesecond case the spring pulls the. sphere inward'. '5 i p The mounting by ball or knuckle-joint according to this invention permits of fixing the headlights upon the car body like the eye is fixed in the. orbit; this fixation is perfect andgit permits nevertheless to move the headlights in all directions of .a suliicient amount.

Having thus described my. invention what I claim is:,-'

1. A headlight'mounting for motor' cars or the,li ke comprising a partiallyfspherical" casing for the headlight, `a ring otless diam.

eter than said spherical casing carried in Vfixed position bylthe car, means frictionally supporting said casing against said ring and means extending inward from the inner port-ion of said casing by which the latter may be angularly displaced by hand in any direction from the interior of the car.

2. A headlight mounting for motor cars or the like, comprising a partially-spherical casing for the headlight, a ring of less diameter than said sphericall casing carried in fixed position `bythe` car, a second ring 'of' less diameter than yther casing, springv means for clamping the spherical portion of' the casingbetwee'n said rings,',.and meansv extending 'inwardly 'from the inner portion of said casing by which the latter may beV angularly displaced by hand in any direction from the Vinteriorr of the car. 3. A head-light mounting for motor-cars 4'or the like, comprising a spherical head#- light casing, apair of rings one fixed' and one movable between which the casing is engaged-, springs for pressing the movable ring against the casing, and a lever extendL ing from the rear of" the casingto ai'ord means for manualy angular displacement ot thelight from the interior of'the car.

4; A head-light mountingY for-motorI cars or the like comprising a spherical head-light casing, a ring support through which the front of Vsaid casing projects, Vrictional engaging means for holding` saidcasing against said front ringsupport, and means on the rear of the casing by which said casingl may be displaced. iir anyY angular directio'nf 5'. A headlight mounting for motor cars or the like, comprising a spherical head@ light casing, peripheral supportingl meansl 

